CEF Energy: the Aurora Line interconnector enters operation ahead of schedule

A major milestone for Europe's electricity infrastructure was reached with the commissioning of the Aurora Line, a cross-border Project of Common Interest that not only delivers tangible benefits for the Nordic region and the EU internal energy market, but also enables the increased production and integration of renewable energy sources. By strengthening cross-border capacity and system flexibility, the project makes a fundamental contribution to Europe's transition towards a greener and more resilient energy system.

Beyond the immediate region, Aurora Line has also been a significant project under the Baltic Energy Market Interconnection Plan (BEMIP) High-Level Group, supporting the green energy transition and helping to further integrate electricity markets across the Baltic Sea Region.

The interconnector was officially commissioned on 12 November 2025, ahead of the initial schedule. Completing this complex infrastructure before the start of winter - and despite significant technical, logistical and environmental challenges - represents a remarkable achievement for the two project promoters and all partners involved.

Co-funded by CEF Energy with over €131 million and implemented by Fingrid Oyj and Svenska kraftnät , Aurora Line delivers a new 400 kV electricity interconnector between northern Finland and northern Sweden. Stretching over more than 380 km and crossing the Tornio River, the line increases cross-border transmission capacity by up to 800 MW from Sweden to Finland and 900 MW in the opposite direction, strengthening security of supply, market integration and supporting the large-scale integration of renewables.

Shared celebrations of a cross-border achievement

Because Aurora Line spans two countries and delivers benefits on both sides of the border, its commissioning was celebrated through two complementary ceremonies, reflecting the project's cross-border nature.

The first ceremony took place on 29 January 2026 in Helsinki, gathering around 150 participants from across the energy ecosystem, including political representatives, regional authorities, CEOs, investors and key actors involved in the project's development and construction. The event highlighted the strategic relevance of Aurora Line for Europe's energy security and the resilience of the Nordic power system.

Celebrations then continued on 31 January 2026 in Vuollerim, in northern Sweden, close to the infrastructure itself. Around 250 participants attended, including local communities, schoolchildren, local and regional authorities, representatives of the transmission system operators, contractors and other stakeholders. This local dimension underlined how large-scale European infrastructure projects are rooted in, and shaped together with, the territories they cross.

Connecting infrastructure with communities

The Swedish ceremony was combined with several site visits, including the Messaure substation and slope, one of the most technically challenging sections of the line, and tower number 4, named "Skyward" by pupils from the Vuollerim school. These moments illustrated the strong engagement of local communities throughout the project's lifecycle, notably through Svenska kraftnät's Pact of Engagement, which fostered dialogue, awareness-raising of the grid development and shared ownership of the project.

Hundreds of people, including children from local school in Vuollerim, braved the cold weather and came to celebrate the completion of the line. Local stories - including memories of the former Messaure village dismantled in the 1980s - were shared alongside technical presentations on the implementation of Aurora Line, its key milestones and the challenges overcome along the way.

Delivering results for Europe

With all major infrastructure now fully commissioned and operational (including overhead transmission lines, new substations and compensation installations) Aurora Line is already delivering concrete benefits. For citizens and businesses, this means a more secure electricity supply, better integration of renewable energy and a more resilient and interconnected energy system across the Nordic region.

Aurora Line stands as a concrete example of how EU-supported cross-border infrastructure turns long-term planning into reality, connecting countries, markets and people; and delivering results right where they matter most.